FRAGRANCE | Vial trial: French Leather EDP by Memo Paris

Trying out French Leather EDP from Memo Paris's Cuirs Nomades line. It opens with an unmistakable rose note and a huge squeeze of citrus - lime, I've read. The rose is bright, fresh, but is repeatedly being challenged by the lime and accompanying pepper. There's a certain sharpness as a result, and can get a little unpleasant—headache-inducing even—if you smell it up close. Although it's still the rose that (thankfully) projects more, I feel that we never really get to see it in full bloom.

Alas, this is supposed to be a leather fragrance! However, the raging rose and lime-pepper battle kind of overpowers the what-should-have-been velvety suede, relegating it to front-row spectator rather than being the main player. This stage is most prolonged, accompanied by an overall moderate projection (initially heavier) that lasts for a good couple of hours, with the lime-pepper accord gradually going out a little faster than the rose.

Several hours into the fragrance's life the sharpness finally dissipates. The rose is still there but the scent has now transitioned into a creamy and warm suede, staying closer to the skin. It's pleasant and comforting, and I wished this lovely accord was the one that projected more, even just a little more.

Whether you find its name misleading or not, French Leather by Memo Paris is still pretty good overall. Its price may understandably play a factor in how people view it but without regard for how much it costs (Php 14,000+ at full retail here in the Philippines), I still like it, though I'm certainly not in love with it. Unlike Tom Ford's Ombré Leather, which I think is a little more universally wearable, this juice may not be to everyone's liking. Try it first and see if it works for you.